Perforating method and apparatus



March 10, 1942. v BODLE 2,275,603

PERFORATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l ezveizz or flfiocf/e' March'lO, 1942. v. H. BODLE PERFORATING' METHOD ANDAPPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1940 fi/ 5Z Patented Mar. 10,1942 Mishawakav Rubber and Woolen Manufacturing Qompany, Mishawaka,Ind., a corporation of Indiana App ication May a 1940-, Serial No.ac-3,531

6 C aims- My invention relates to the perforating of sheet materialscomposed partly or wholly or rubber or the like, and has reference moreparticularly to a method of and machine for puncturing with localizedheat at each puncture place and ad"- va'ncing the material by thepuncturing mem The general purpose of my invention is similar to that ofthe application Serial No. 323,313 filed by Frank Jermain Chandler onMarch 11, 1940.

My invention contemplates amachine adapted for use in perforating sheetrubber, rubber coated other similar rnaterialsto provide small openingstherethrough for ventilation or drawn from the fabric.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a simple andconvenient machine for impart advancing movement to thematerial; toprolong the time of engagement of the perforattrig members with thematerial; to avoid mutila tion of the perforations; and to permitperforation of short pieces of material; these and other objects beingFig. l is a front viewofa perforating machine constructed according tomy invention;

Fig. 2 is an end View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line l -4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 5 indicates themachine; frame which; in

the illustrated structure, comprises an elongated plate bent to provideatop 6 with end standards 1 having foot portions 8. Secured to the top 6is a work supporting plate 9 upon which the work is supported during theperforation thereof and across which it is advanced by the perforat ingmembers.

A shaft 10 is journal-ed in the standards 1 to rotateand may be providedwithv a crank II or any other desired means for imparting rotationthereto, preferably some source of motive power being employed whichrotates the shaft at a constant speed and at the appropriate rate ofspeed to insure engagement of the perforating members with the work therequired length of time to insure permanence of perforations.

A pair of correspondingly arranged eccentrics 12 are securedto the shaftH] at the inner sides respectively of the standards I and each eccentricis embraced: by an eccentric strap l3-which has an arm l4 extendingupwardly therefrom through a slot IS in the the frame top 6. these armsI4 is a support l6 to which a series of pointed perforating pins I! issecured in spaced rotation of the shaft l0 and the eccentrics l2 thereonwill cause up and down reciprocation ofthe support I6 and its attachedpins ll.

Secured on the shaft I0 is another pair of correspondingly arrangedeccentric cams I8 located at the outer sides respectively of the framestandards 1 and each cam I8 engages in the forked lower end I 9 of arocker arm 20 which is pivoted at 2i on the outer side of the respectiveframe standard 1. The upper ends of these rocker arms 20 are connectedbya stripper plate 22 which is located a sufiicient distance above thework supporting plate 9 to afford ample space for passage of the worktherebetween and it will be understood that in the rotation of the shaftID, the cams I8 by their rotation in the forked to rock back and forth aselected distance over the work supporting plate 6.

The vertically reciprocable arms M which support the pin carrier areslidably engaged through |2 but rocks back and forth with the stripperplate 22. It will be understood that the slots I5 of the frame top 6 areof ample length to permit the swinging movement of the arms l4occasioned by the engagement of these arms through the swinging stripperplate 22 and moreover since the arms l4 swing on a changing center (theeccentrics l2) below the pivots 2| of the arms 20 it will be understoodthat there occurs a slight angular movement of the arms M in theopenings 23 and these openings are accordingly made sufficiently largeor the front and rear walls suitably shaped to permit this slightangular movement to occur freely without cramping.

The stripper plate 22 has, in line with the pins apertures 24 throughwhich the pins H extend, these apertures being sufiiciently larger thanthe pins to permit the latter to reciprocate freely therein, and thearrangement of the pins I1 is such that in the fully elevated positionthereof the ends of the pins remain fully engaged in the apertures 24.In the downward movement of the pins they penetrate completely throughthe work on the work support 9 which has openings 24 therethrough toaccommodate the ends of the pins ll therein as shown in Fig. 4 whenthese pins are in the lowermost position, and these openings 2 as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, are in the form of elongated slots of ample length topermit the front to rear reciprocating movement that is imparted to thegroup of pins by the cams l8.

This device, as above indicated, is intended for perforating sheetmaterial made entirely or artly of rubber and it is customary toperforate the material while the rubber is in the uncured state afterwhich it is cut into the required sizes and shapes and assembled orotherwise prepared for its intended use and then cured.

To facilitate penetration of the pins through the rubber material and togive sufficient permanence to the perforations so they will be preservedunimpaired in the subsequent operations of processing the material, thepins l1 are heated, and for this purpose the pin carrier l6 contains anelectrical heating element (not shown) to which current is suppliedthrough flexible conductors 25 which are suificiently free and flexibleto permit the movements imparted to the pin carrier l6 by the cams l2and i8. Also the carrier I6 is preferably enclosed in insulation 26 toprevent wastage 'or dissipation of heat.

In the operation of this device, the sheet material to be perforatedwhich is indicated at 21 in Fig. 4, is started under the. stripper plate22 so that the pins H can engage same, and as the shaft l0 rotates, thepins H are lifted by the cams i2 and while upraised are swung by thecams l8 to the forward position represented by the dotted line 28 ofFig. 4 and as the pins near this position they begin to move downwardlyunder the influence of the cams l2 and penetrate through the material 21whereupon the pins, while engaged with the work, are swung rearwardly bythe cams l8 to the position represented by the dotted line 29, therebyadvancing the work to the position preparatory to the next perforatingoperation. As the pins near the position 29 they move upwardly so thatat the position 29 they are withdrawn from the work and after suchwithdrawal are swung forwardly again by the cams l8 to the position 28to repeat the perforating and advance of the material 21. Thussuccessive rows of perforations 30 are formed through the material 21,these rows being spaced apart the distance that the material is advancedby the rearward swinging of the pins during the time the pins areengaged with the work.

Thus the pins, while engaged with the work are in motion firstdownwardly and then upwardly, this movement being beneficial as it tendsto apply the needle heat more effectively to the perforations. Moreoverby advancing the work by the swinging of the penetrated needles agreater duration of penetration results without I the delay that wouldbe occasioned by alternately perforating and advancing the work. Thecurrent supply to the heating element in the pin carrier I6 iscontrolled in any well known manner to maintain the needles H at asuitable temperature to cause an incipient localized vulcanization ofthe rubber around the perforations 39 during the time that the needlesare engaged therein and thus the perforations are given a permanence sothat in the subsequent handling and processing the perforations remainintact and are safely preserved against mutilation. Also it will beunderstood that the heat of the needles because of its softening effect,causes the needles to penetrate the rubber more readily and to bewithdrawn freely from the material.

Oftentimes it is desirable to perforate a rubber sheet or a rubbercoated material in which the surface of the rubber is embossed and inview of the uncured condition of the rubber it is important toaccomplish the perforating without any contact with the embossedsurface, as for example by the usual feed rolls, which would tend tomutilate or mar the embossing. This device is especially advantageousfor this purpose as the performance of the advancing movement of thematerial by the perforating pins ll, while positive, avoids thenecessity of using feed rolls and there is no contact with the uppersurface of the work which might in any respect impair or mutilate anyembossing on that surface. Moreover, since the material rests lightly onthe work supporting plate 9 without any pressure thereagainst, even anembossing on the under surface of the material would be unlikely to beaffected by the light contact therewith.

It will be understood from the above that the spacing of the rows ofperforations 39 is determined by the extent of swinging movementimparted to the needles I! by the cams l8 and that by varying the extentof such swinging movement a greater or less distance may be providedbetween the rows of perforations. This variation of swinging movement ofthe needles and spacing of the rows of perforations 39 may beaccomplished by merely changing the elevation of the pivots 2| of therocker arms 29 in any convenient manner, and for this purpose the rockerarms 29 may be provided with a vertical series of pivot openings 3| andthe frame standards I with a corresponding series of threaded openings32 in which the pins 2| may-be optionally secured. Thus by changing thepins 2| from their present openings 3| and 32 to the top openings 3| and32 a lesser amount of swinging movement of the needles I1 and closerspacing of the rows of perforations 30 is obtained, and by changing thepins 2| to the bottom openings 3| and 32 a greater swinging movement andwider perforation spacing is obtained.

While I have'shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I amaware that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invenscribed, the combination worksupport to advance the tion, the scope of which is to be determined bythe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a perforating device of the class dcof a work supporta group ofpins relatively movable to and from the work support to perforatematerial thereon, means operable to move the pins crosswise of the workthereon for successive rows of perforations, said work support havingopenings into which the pins project and along which they are movable inthe work advancing movement, and means for heating the pins.

2. In a perforating device of the class described, the combination of awork support, a group of pins reciprocable to and from the work supportto perforate material thereon, means operable to move the pins crosswiseof the work support to advance the work thereon for successive rows ofperforations, said work support having openings into which the pinsproject and along which they are movable in the work advancing movement,a stripper plate through which the pins reciprocably project, and meansfor heating the pins.

3. In a perforating device of the class described, the combination of awork support, a group of pins reciprocable to and fromthe work supportto perforate material thereon, means operable to move the pins crosswiseof the work support to advance the work thereon for successive rows ofperforations, said work support having openings into which the pinsproject and along which they are movable in the work ad vancingmovement, a stripper plate movable with the pins crosswise of the worksupport and having said pins reciprocably projecting therethrough, andmeans for heating the pins.

4. In a perforating device of the class described, the combination of amain frame having a work support at the top thereof, a stripper plateabove said work support, means pivoted on the main frame and supportingsaid stripper plate for oscillation relative to th work support, a pinsupporting frame including down-,

wardly extending supporting arms slidably reciprocable with respect tosaid stripper plate and having pins which project through the stripperplate and are reciprocable to and from the work support, a shaftrotatably mounted in the main frame under the work support and having apair of eccentric members thereon engaged respectively by the stripperplate supporting means and the pin frame supporting arms, one of saideccentric members being operable to oscillate the stripper plate whilethe other eccentric member reciprocates the pin supporting frame.

5. In a perforating device of the class described, the combination of amain frame having a work support at th top thereof, a stripper plateabove said work support, a rocker arm pivoted on the main frame andsupporting said stripper plate for oscillation relative to the Worksupport, a pin supporting frame including downwardly extending armsslidably reciprocable through said stripper plate, pins carried by saidsupporting frame and projecting through the stripper plate andreciprocable to and from the work support, a shaft rotatably mounted inthe main frame under the work support and having a pair of eccentricmembers thereon engaged respectively by said rocker arm and said pinframe supporting arms, one of said eccentric members being operable toactuate the rocker arm and oscillate the stripper plate while the othereccentric member reciprocates th pin supporting frame.

6; In a perforating device of the class described, the combination of awork support, a group of pins relatively movable to and from th worksupport to perforate material thereon, means for heating said pins, andmeans to move the pins crosswise of the work support while in contactwith the work and While the same is being advanced, whereby contact ofthe heated pins with the work is prolonged for effecting a heattreatment of the work adjacent the perforations made by said pins.

VIRGIL H. BODLE.

